Beaver Twp. to store road salt

NORTH LIMA — Beaver Township is planning to build a unit to store its own road salt.

The trustees at their Monday meeting agreed to advertise for bids to have the building, designed to hold 600 tons of salt, constructed on New Buffalo Road near the road department garage.

Officials said they would not be able to determine the cost of the project until the bids are received. They said, however, they have a received a preliminary estimate of about $37,000.

The township is looking to buy its own salt next year through a cooperative program with the state.

In the past, the township has purchased salt from Mahoning County. The county typically solicits bids for salt each year, buys it from the lowest bidder, and stores it in a county-owned building on Market Street in the township.

Last year, the township paid the county $35 a ton for the salt. This year the price per ton exceeds $70, officials said. They said Beaver typically uses about 450 tons each winter. They said the county delayed buying salt this year because of escalating prices, resulting in a salt shortage. The township recently had to pay $140 a ton to have salt delivered from Cleveland.

In other news, the trustees accepted the resignation of Margie Davison as Emergency Medical Services training coordinator and firefighter, effective Dec. 15.

Davison, who resigned for personal and work-related reasons, worked with the township fire department for more than 17 years. EMS Director Frank Dispenza is to take over Davison’s responsibilities until a replacement is named to fill her post.

The trustees also approved the application of Chris Wiff to become a township volunteer firefighter. Wiff, who has worked for the Green Township Fire Department, recently moved back to Beaver.